Athens: Belgian tourist fatally shot by firearm, autopsy finds

The Belgian tourist found dead last week is victim of a crime, autopsy conducted on Monday morning finds. A bullet was found stuck in his head. The mystery around the man remains as so far no family member has reported him missing to police.

The 54-year-old man holder of a Belgian passport was found dead by passersby in Neos Kosmos district of Athens on Friday night. Initial reports spoke of an open wound on his forehead and the possibility that the man had fallen on the ground thus suffering a fatal injury.

A preliminary autopsy conducted on Saturday morning could not confirm initial suspicion that the Belgian tourist was shot.

Police investigates the reasons the man was in Greece as the area where the body was found is not usually visited by tourists. he has arrvied in Greece on June 10 and was staying in a hotel in Syntagma area in downtown Athens, some 4 km away from the spot he was found.

The 54-year-old was found short after ten o’ clock on Friday night in a small park in front of social housing building on Fanotshenous street in Neos Kosmos, almost behind a 5-star hotel on Syggrou Avenue.

The man was found sitting on a park bench.

Police investigates the motives of the crime and has so far almost excluded robbery as the victim had mobile, money and passport in his pockets. Evaluating the findings, police suggests that the man was “executed.”

Greek police has asked for the assistance of the Interpol and the Belgian authorities in order to check whether the Belgian tourist was previously involved with authorities in Belgium or elsewhere.

According to Greek media, the man has Belgian citizenship, but his origin is from another European country.

As investigation continues, police has not disclosed all available information with regards to the case. Police has not disclosed neither the country of origin of the victim, nor his name or picture.

Some Greek media suggest police investigates also possible links of the victim to jihadists, as findings in the past showed that Isis-supporters involved in terrorists attacks in Belgium and Paris has passed though Athens.